Liebster

 I was nominated by Megan  for a Liebster blogging award. So here I go:

 11 Random Facts About Myself:

1. I'm taking sewing classes. Just started last week, but I'm excited to learn. I discovered my sewing teacher is LDS, and my "classmate" is also LDS!
2. I could see myself becoming a bird-watcher. Really! Some people would find it boring, but if you're a fan of the outdoors like myself, you may understand. I can sit in the early morning sun and watch nature for hours.
3. I've never had my wisdom teeth pulled- that's what I get for having a big mouth.  
4. I can't stand snot or anything related. Blood, sure. Watching people perform open surgeries, no problem. Mucus? I'm out. 
5. Speaking of...the first bone I broke (out of...6? 5?) was my big toe. I can't remember if it was my left or right, but I was in elementary school showing off on a swing, doing flips. I landed on my stomach and hit my toe real hard. Did I cry? Nope, I stood right up and kept playing. My mom noticed it swelling later and me slightly limping, so she took me for an x-ray. Yup, it was broken. Pain is nothing as a kid.
6. I don't drink anything but water. Sometimes I may have some lemonade or flavored water, but I prefer water. And it's not about health reasons. I just simply don't like anything else.
7. This one is about Gary: He just joined a nice gym that's walking distance from his job in LA. He works out after work to avoid traffic, then comes home. The best part? He has a personal trainer who has been kicking his butt. It's fantastic.
8. My parents had a terrifying experience when I was 3 months old. I was having serious seizures during the middle of the night that would not stop. They rushed me to the hospital- again, they would not stop and the doctor said it was bad news. The missionaries showed up and gave me a blessing. They stopped.
9. I'm the one who catches the bugs and spiders and puts them back outside, not Gary. Even larger critters like giant moths, praying mantis, bees that may fly in, and even grasshoppers (though the giant ones creep me out a bit).
10. I love science and I'm a total science geek. I'm subscribed to and regularly read National Geographic, Smithsonian, Astronomy Magazine, Popular Science, and Discover. 
11. Gary and I are considering taking Blacksmithing classes and getting certifications. There's a blacksmith in the Pasadena area and the classes are pretty popular. So why would we take classes? Because why the heck not?

And for the questions Megan has picked out:

1. What is the best thing you've ever eaten? This one is hard because as you know, I love food. Cheesecake is a favorite, but I'll picks something. One thing I used to really really love but won't eat anymore (there isn't one here anyway, so thank goodness) is John's Burgers Chicken Salad. It was huge! I think it was the ranch, which made it horrible for me, but it was amazing! Anything John's Burgers, really. But I'll go with the chicken salad. 

     2. What is one thing you want to do before you die? There are a lot of things I want to do before I die, so I'll just pick one random: Finish my story. I know, I know. But I love writing and I have a big imagination. I just haven't had the time to gather up my current story and write it out.  I've been thinking about this one since I was a teenager. I've written bits and pieces, pages and pages of it, but I haven't bundled it together and drawn bridges. I just need that patience. 

     3. If you had $1 million to give to a charity, which charity would you give to? Geez, this one is tough. There are so many charities out there, so I'll just pick one: Medical Teams International: 97% of money donated goes to programs. You can read more about it on the link, and also here: Wikipedia description. I've come across it a few times and have always felt a need to donate toward them, so I chose it.

     4. What is your all time favorite movie and why? Well, this one is easy: Beauty and the Beast. I watched it so many times as a kid. I don't know why I chose it as my favorite, but maybe it had to do with the fact I felt like I related to Belle and her love of books. While I was a girl, a lot of the kids would be in the living room watching TV or a movie, and I'd be in my room wrapped up in books. Besides, who doesn't love Beauty and the Beast?

     5. Where in the world would you most likely travel to? Okavango Delta, Botswana. It may not be a paradise island, but I would LOVE to visit and see all the many different wildlife. There are many different tours and safaris and the adventure would be amazing.

 6. If you could magically develop any talent over night, what would it be? Sword fighting. Oh, come on- that would be awesome. Can you imagine me chasing after an attacker or burglar with a sword? That would change his/her mind quickly. Nobody wants to approach a crazy lady with a sword.

7. What was your favorite toy when you were a child? That would be my ducky. Couldn't do anything or go anywhere without it. I left it at my parents' cabin once and would not sleep. My uncle drove the one hour drive there to retrieve it for me.

Other brother and me with our stuffed animals

When I got a bit older, it was this Simba (oh, the stories of the looooong car rides while Quinn and I spoke in baby voices playing with Simba and Nala, driving the others to insanity):

8. If you could see any band or musician in concert (whether they're still together/alive or not), who would it be? This guy:

9. If you were to be cast in any reality TV show, which show would you want to be on? Hmm. Probably The Amazing Race. Don't hate- I've never seen the show. I've seen parts and I understand enough these people get to travel the world and have adventures for competition. That just sounds awesome. 

10.  You stumble upon a magic lamp and *poof*, out comes a genie. What are your three wishes? Well, there's the obvious stopping world hunger, getting rid of corrupt leaders and reorganizing specific societies, but I'll take a different approach.

• 1- To make everybody's pets spayed and neutered 
• 2- To pay off all of my parents' debts
• 3- To gain the knowledge of a physicist. You mean I have to work hard for that ability? Nah...

11. What is a picture that literally makes you laugh out loud when you see it?

The Rules of the Liebster Award

1.Share 11 random facts about yourself

2. Answer the questions from the person who nominated you

3. Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers and ask them 11 questions

(I don't have 11, so I'll do what I can and pick regular bloggers)

Devonn and Carla

Tiffany

Mum and Pops

The Heywoods

The Jones Family

The Albee Family

Questions:
1. If you could teleport 3 times today, which 3 places would you visit?

2. Where is your favorite place to go with no technology?

3. If you could bring a video game or movie to life, which would you choose?

4. If you had the ability to gain all knowledge from one book just by touching it, which would it be?

5. If you could eat one food or dessert all you what when you want without the negative consequences, what would it be?

6. If you could be a master at any athletic sport, which would you choose?

7. Vacation home on the beach or in the mountains and why?

8. If you had the ability to solve one world problem, which would you choose?

9. What is your favorite childhood memory?

10. If you could go into the past and remake one choice, what would it be?

11. What is your favorite thing about yourself and why?

Have fun! This thing took me forever ;)

Spring is Here!

      I'm so happy spring is here. The warmer weather is amazing and I'm finally able to open the doors and windows.
 
      Spring also means cleaning. Yes, lots of cleaning. This woman has been busy.

      Remember how I mentioned Gary and I were taking Saturdays to tackle specific rooms and areas? Well, we managed to clean out the walk-in closet in the bedroom, the deck, and the storage closet on the deck. After that, we stopped doing the deep Saturday cleanings- just kind of forgot, really. Well, I've had some spare time on my hands since I've reduced my work hours, so I've been getting busy myself!

     Friday, I decided to start in the bedroom itself. I really should have taken before pictures, but whatever. The biggest project was the bookshelf- which was cluttered. It's become a habit to toss other things on there. But I cleared it out, alphabetized the books by author and also separated them by subject. I cleaned out all the junk in the bedroom and made it look fresh and brand new. This included a lot of garbage bags- it's amazing how much junk can pile up. 

Now you can see my books- some are really old! And some I plan to get rid of and add to the Goodwill bag soon.

     From there, I moved my way down the hall and stopped at the bathroom. I deep cleaned the floor, walls, shower, medicine cabinet, toilet (though I clean that almost daily) and cleared out and organized any storage areas. Spotless! My next big task was the hallway closet. Oh, boy. That's where we really put junk. This task took the longest of all, filling up 4-5 garbage bags and 2 piles of boxes. It was crazy. But, in the end, it was done and organized. Phew! I moved on to the living room and clean/organized it as well. I decided to stop from there since the entire cleaning process took 5 hours. 

Cleaner living area

Cleaned up the video game area- though he keeps his games really organized and clean, so there wasn't much to be done here- just cleaning up some cords and such.

     Saturday, I discovered a family I work for needed me to help them out for several hours- starting pretty darn early in the day. So, I went. I came home around 2, and Gary was waiting at home with a bunch of purple tulips for me as a thank you for all my cleaning. I freshened up, and he took me to The Cheesecake Factory in Woodland Hills. Oh, so nice of him!! I needed that. And yes, I enjoyed a slice of cheesecake.

Love!! My orchids are next to them. I love the tulips, though! They were doing their "leaning" thing (when they drink too much), but they've been going back up today since I fixed it last night (cold water).

     Yesterday, it was the kitchen's turn. We had so many old appliances, cookware, etc- it needed serious cleaning. I first went to Target where I bought organizers for the junk drawer, new cookware, and a few other things (including new bathroom decorations). The kitchen cleaning? 3 hours and 6 garbage bags. This is because I tossed out so many pots, pans, bake-ware, etc. Oh, but it looks marvelous. We made a goal to make sure nothing sits on the kitchen island or the fridge (or on top of the cabinets).  The cabinets were wiped down, the fridge was wiped down and cleaned- you've cleaned a kitchen before, you know what I mean. But- it's done.

That looks a little better!

       The apartment is done! Woo hoo! This will make moving much easier now. I can't believe there was so much stuff just for one apartment! Geesh. Because yes, this is our last year here. Then we'll be moving out of Santa Clarita to be closer to Gary's job. Where? Not sure yet. Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley is one huge consideration though. Gary also likes Studio City, and a few friends have recommended Burbank and some of the areas around there. But I'm really liking Pasadena (so is Gary). So, we'll see. More research is to be done. But it may be our permanent residence and where we raise kids, so we want to be picky- we're looking forward to buying! We're also ready to leave this place and move up! It hasn't been bad though. We do love it in this quiet neighborhood. Rent is insanely high, but we've been staying here because there's been no reason to move- plus, we've been able to save money, which is nice. And now with the new job, we can really start saving!

     Gary starts his new job on Monday! This is his final week at his current job. Is he sad? Yes. But he's excited to be moving forward. His company was really sad to hear he's leaving- but he's gotta do what he's gotta do- and this new job will be great for him! This is definitely a big step in a new direction.

     Anyway, time to do things for the day before work. To end, I want to say how much I LOVED conference and all the many talks! It definitely brought the spirit into our home and Gary and I really bonded during the talk on marriage. Super love!! It was just fantastic. I love my family!! And my husband!! And I really enjoyed spending time with all of them during Easter, which we spent in Bakersfield. So, here are photos from Easter.

Me and Sammy (I really tried to put Gary's picture first, but Blogger decided mine should come first). 

My awesome hot husband with that beard! I can't believe it's so big! FYI- his shirt was too big and it was quite funny. Luckily he was able to downsize after.

    

Movin' on Up

 So, I'll go ahead and share the cool news!

 As you may know, Gary has been with his current company for about 5 years. He had been ready to move up and expand, yet he felt he wasn't going anywhere with his job. It's been great, don't get me wrong, as he's learned so many valuable things, but it was just time for him to grow- know what I mean? Anyway, he put up his resume and received contacts looking to speak to him. He had some interviews and in the end, it was narrowed down to two companies- FOX Media in Glendale and ETC Global Holdings in Los Angeles (a block away from the Staples Center). They were both offering great positions and benefits, so it was definitely something we prayed and prayed and prayed about.

Well, ETC seemed to be more on top of things and he had several different types of interviews with them- over the phone, in person, tests to see his skills, etc. He only had phone interviews with FOX. ETC came forward and offered him the position first. Gary didn't accept right away, as we still had some talking and praying to do. However, after receiving confirmation this was the way to go, he accepted. That same day, FOX called and wanted to finally meet with him in person and go over the job details. He turned them down. It wasn't sad or upsetting, because we already knew he made the right decision. One concern when it came to working for FOX was he felt he would be pigeonholed- it was the same job he's doing with his current company, but on a senior level. The goal was to grow, not do the same role.

Anyway, he starts mid-April and he is excited! We both are. Sure, he'll have a commute, but with the new car and major salary increase, it'll be just fine. When our lease is up, we'll consider moving closer, but we would still like to raise a family in Santa Clarita- we'll see. There are some nice areas south too. We are considering buying a condo first, but once we reach our desired savings, we'll go from there. Anyway, the job is great. His role will be a SQL Developer and Database Administrator (DBA). The benefits they offer are amazing, and he has many opportunities to grow within this company, which is mainly why he chose this position. Everyone is friendly, the company offers lunch on Fridays, and he can really start saving for retirement with their benefits. Another great bonus? He has his own private parking, which he can use 24/7. Remember how I said it's a block from the Staples Center? Well, there you go. And for the record, the role of the company is to provide transaction clearings for security transactions (whatever that means).

It also requires him to wear a suit. So, he spoiled himself and bought some really nice suits from Mens Wearhouse- they tailored them up to fit him properly, so he's all set with a new wardrobe for his new job- so handsome!! I teased him and told him he's a big boy now. I am so proud of him!

Anyway, that's the cool news! He's movin' on up. Now we can really start saving to build a foundation for the future (yes, kids are coming soon- we are't planning on waiting too much longer).

And my job is going well. Got some new cases, so I've been busy. But life is good. And I'm totally looking forward to Easter! Then Conference!

Besides that, we haven't been up to much. Just stayin' busy. Okay, bye!

Weather Enjoyment

 Gary and I are definitely enjoying the beautiful sunny weather. For a moment it had its cold week, but it's looking up again!

 Last Saturday, we hit the beach. We went to Ventura this time and just relaxed and enjoyed the sunshine- then went shopping and had some fish and chips for lunch. Yum!

 It was definitely a nice trip!

   The Thursday before, I had woken up with a slight sore throat. I thought nothing of it and went on my way. It wasn't until the next Monday morning when I realized it was more, and I wasn't feeling well. I was coughing, congested, had a headache- you name it. This lasted for quite some time. Thursday, when I noticed I had a slight fever (which is shocking), I went and saw the nurse practitioner. She diagnosed me with a sinus infection, gave me some prescription over the counter stuff (since antibiotics don't work with sinus infections), and sent me along my way. The stuff she gave me seemed to work.

  After all these days, I'm still blowing my nose often and still coughing a little, but I feel fine for the most part. She told me it could last for a couple of weeks. But at least I feel good- I've been able to workout and exercise again. I'm also crossing my fingers my poor husband doesn't catch it.

    Anyway, besides sickies and a fun beach trip, all has been going well. There's still some cool news, but I'll text you before I publish it, just because of the timing. And as mentioned earlier, don't get too excited- it's not baby news. Speaking of, I was talking to some parent yesterday during my case (the kids were playing outside and I was chatting with other neighborhood moms), and one woman asked me about children. I said no, but sometime in the future. She then asked my age, and when I told her, she said, "Well, you ARE old. Just sayin'." She then tried to advise me on how to go off birth control when I do make that choice. Slapping that woman would have been fantastic. But, obviously I didn't. She also told me on another day that many people in the neighborhood don't like her because of her political views. Hmm. Yes, we'll go with that. 

   As for a work update, it's been meh. A main case I was working (I was actually the lead on this case), has been having issues and I got removed. And suddenly. So, I just lost about 20 hours per week due to this. It wasn't anything I did- it was parent behavior. They've been breaking rules and obsessively persuading staff members to break rules. I've been on this case for almost a year (the gym one), and the parents have been beyond rude and disrespectful to me- mom 99% of the time. Dad's been okay, and that's because he's mostly at work. She stays home all day (works like 10 hours each week from home), so I guess she had nothing better to do. Anyway, she had been attempting to persuade me for months to break rules, but I've always put my foot down. She spent an hour last week insulting the Mormon religion (since I'm "too good" by following rules), and said something about me becoming Armenian (for real). That's just a small dose, but I won't go into much more details. But staff has been removed and the case might be gone for good. So, I have more free time and am just waiting to hear about more work. As for my other cases, they are fantastic and the parents are amazing. So, no complaint there.

 Well, that's pretty much the update! Life is still amazing. Enjoy the sun and have an awesome day!

Small Trips

 Okay, so we've definitely been enjoying our new ride! We've been taking small trips here and there (not a lot, because we still have to pay for gas like everyone else). It's mostly to spend time with one another, which is always nice.

We originally planned on hitting the beach, but when we noticed it was going to be a little cold there, we drove down to Los Angeles instead. We hit the Getty Museum, which I have never been to. Gary went there in high school for a field trip with his honor's history class, but I was new to it. It's amazing what's all around us, yet we haven't done too much exploring.

It was a lot bigger than I expected- but a good trip indeed. We spent about 3 hours there walking the grounds, relaxing in the sun at the garden, and of course, observing the art and sculptures. Gary was hoping for more ancient things, but he still enjoyed it.

We ate lunch there at the cafe, then decided next time we'd bring our own lunch and sit at the garden area and have a picnic. The weather was so nice!

Beautiful Garden area

Nice View from up top of LA

Okay, we got a kick out of this one. If you look closely, you can see why Gary laughed and said, "Even the museum is racist." Of course they're not, but you'll see it.

Us!

At the entrance

After our trip at the museum, we hit the LA Farmer's Market. Parking was insane (free, but insane), but we made it and strolled around, buying some almonds, pistachios, and fresh strawberries.

Next week the beach will be in the 70's, so that will probably be our next trip. Anyone is welcome to join us!

We also decided we're going to visit museums and other places downtown more often- they are fun, free dates with not too much of a drive.

A couple of weeks ago, before Valentine's Day, there was a ward activity for the adults. It was a dinner, dessert, and presentations on building a stronger marriage. There were speakers giving advice about dates and other things, and even drawings. It was great! We came back with a 3-4 page list on the many free date ideas, and the women received another big list on things we can do for our husbands.

If you want copies, just ask! I'll copy it and send one over to you. Some of the ideas are so neat! This is for all couples, children or not. So we've been going through those to spend more time with one another.

Anyway, that's what we've been up to!

Valentine's Day

 For me, Valentine's Day was more busy than romantic, but I'll go ahead and share about what's going on in the Pollock household.

First of all, it was 7 years ago yesterday Gary asked me out on our second 1st date (like I said, long story, which you can find here). I'm SO glad I said yes. That date led to another- then several others. I'm seriously the happiest girl and so glad I ended up marrying this handsome man. I have to admit- I love the beard. I think it works better than his baby face.

 I had the day off yesterday, which was fantastic. The family I work for on Thursdays actually went out of their way to make arrangements to give me the day off so I could spend it with my sweetheart. Love!

I spent most of the day cleaning the apartment, grocery shopping, running errands, etc (pretty much a typical day off, right?). I went to Sears and bought Gary a nice tool cabinet for all of his tools that lay around everywhere and a nice card.

When he came home, we headed over to a car dealership- and purchased our first new car!

Now, before you think we just strolled in there and bought a car, that's not true. We've been on the search for quite some time now. We've spoken to many sales people, did some bidding wars, did our research, sent emails, and visited other places. So we were prepared!

What I wasn't prepared for was the 4 hour wait. This was my first time going through a new car purchase, so I didn't expect it would take SO long! I heard buying a used is even longer. It was crazy. Anyway, we were excited when we finally got to drive off.

 It's a new 2013 KIA Soul. We picked it because of all the great features and reviews. It was featured in Reader's Digest (I'm a subscribed reader, so I showed it to Gary) and various other sources as a recommended vehicle. I did several comparisons to other similar cars and this one kept coming back on top. Like I said, we did our research since we've never owned a KIA before. We were told they have gone up in reliability over the years. Anyway, we took it for a test drive and loved it.

It will mostly be Gary's car, but I get to play too, so there. It comes with Bluetooth calling (so we can talk through the car and not phone), XM radio, great mileage (has an ECO option), trip computer, USB plugins and ipod integration (though we don't own ianything), and a fully installed alarm system.

There are more neat features, but what we love most is the space! We call it the Tardis (for you Dr.Who fans), because it looks small outside but it's super roomy and spacious on the inside. The trunk is deep and roomy, it's high for taller drivers, and there's a lot of leg room. The back seats can fold flat for even more space- it's awesome. We were very impressed.

Anyway, that was our Valentine's Day. Gary promises today will be more romantic, so we will be celebrating the romantic portion of it today.

We also have some awesome news, but it will have to wait. And no, it doesn't involve future little ones- sorry to disappoint.

So that's that! Time for work. Thank goodness it's Friday!

Here's a Post

   I've been pretty terrible at posting blogs- but again, there's been nothing too exciting going on. So I'll just randomize this and keep it short and simple.

 Gary spent a week and half in Canada for his job for systems integration. He stayed in Toronto and went with a group of coworkers. Besides the cold (which he said nobody hangs out outside anyway, so it wasn't a big deal), it was fine. He went to some sports games and did a little sightseeing (Niagara Falls). He was glad to come home though- and I was glad to see him! I shoved in some extra hours at work while he was gone just because. While it was nice having some time to myself, I quickly became bored and a little lonely (though I went out with some people and did quite the shopping). It's still nice having a husband around.

My job is going well, despite some challenges I'm dealing with (a parent situation). I'm working great hours (Mon-Fri) and even received a promotion recently with a great pay increase. So all is well!

Besides work, we've been enjoying the 70's over here.The weather has been so nice and I'm loving it. We've been going out a lot and walking more often because of it (and I'm putting my runners to use).

But yes, that's pretty much the update- I told you we're uneventful here.

Well, until I can come up with more cool stuff, this is all you get. Bye!